Mechanism for ejecting articles from elevators



Dec. 26, 1950 F. .1. WITTE MECHANISM FOR EJECTING ARTICLES FROM ELEVATORS Filed Jan. 18, 1949 I [IO INVENTOR. FRANK J. WITTE ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1950 OF F ICE MECHANISM FOR EJEGTING ARTIGLES FROM ELIEIVNI IJRS' Frank J Witte, Ellwpod; City-,Bm.

Applieationd' anuary 18, 1 949, Serial No. 71 ,515

2 Claims. (Ol-..21.4'--95-);

Thisinvention relates t'm mechanisms for ejecting elongated articles sideways fromr vertically movable elevators.

An; object of the invention is to provideelevators which have improved mechanisms for automatically ejecting articles sideways after lifting them to a predetermined height.

A further object of the invention is to provide elevators on which elongated articles can be conveyed longitudinally and then lifted, and which have mechanisms for automatically ejecting such articles sideways onto a fixed skid after they are lifted to the height of the skid.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawing. in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an elevator equipped with an ejecting mechanism embodying features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the elevator shown in Figure 1, but illustrating the parts in a different position; and

Figure 3 is a top plan view of a pair of elevators as shown in Figure 1 illustrating their relation to a skid, which receives articles therefrom.

In the drawing there is shown an elevator in which is typical of those for which the eiectin mechanism of the present invention is suited. This elevator compri es a fixed mounting or pedestal I2 and a vertically movable lifting element l3, which is raised and lowered by anv suitable operating mechanism preferably situated beneath the floor. In the installation illustrated a plurality of these elevators are arranged in alignment alongside a fixed skid l4 (Figure 3) The upper end of each lifting element has a U- shaped fixture 15 which supports a grooved roller 16. When the lifting elements are raised, the tops of these rollers are approximately at the height of the skid. Elongated articles, such as pipe sections P, are introduced to rollers l6 by longitudinal movement and are raised to the height of the skid by simultaneous vertical movement of the lifting elements. Such installations have various uses, for example, for handling pipe sections in connection with upsetting machines in which pipe ends are upset preparatory to threading. However, it is apparent that the novel ejecting mechanism is limited neither to this specific installation nor to this specific elevator.

The novel ejector of the present invention comprises a lever I! pivoted at I B on a horizontal axis till the Ui-shapedifixture. I5, thepiv'ot; being omthei side.- toward. skid l4": onto; which: articles are: ejectedi. One of the. lever; arms; extends: be:-

neath, the, position normally occupied; by articles P on roller iii of the lifting element (Figure 1) and has bifurcations, one of which is situated at each side of said roller. The other arm of the lever extends away from the lifting element. A flexible element l9 connects this other arm with the lower portion of pedestal l2 or with some other point fixed with respect thereto. This flexible element preferably contains a turnbuckle 20 so that its length may be adjusted.

When the lifting element is raised, flexible element I9 turns the lever about pivot IE to the position illustrated in Figure 2, in which it is within the space normally occupied by articles P supported on roller I6. Preferably pedestal I2 has an upstanding stop 2| which the end of the lever engages when the lifting element is raised to prevent the levers swinging too far. The ends of the bifurcated arm have counterweights 22. ered, the e counterweights return the lever to the position illustrated in Figure 1 in which it is beneath the roller.

In operation, when the elevator lifts an article P, the bifurcations of lever ll engage the underside of this article. As lifting continues, the bifurcations move into the space which the article normally occupies and push the article from roller l6 onto skid Hi. When the lifting element is lowered, counterweights 22 automatically return the lever to its starting position.

From the foregoing description it is seen that the ejecting mechanism of the present invention aut matically ejects articles sideways from an elevator after the latter has lifted the articles to a predetermined height, in this instance that of a fixed skid. Commonly this step has been performed manually and has slowed operations in which it is necessary. Therefore the present invention renders fully automatic 2. step ordinarily performed manually, with a corresponding improvement in the efiiciency of the operation and the equipment.

While I have shown and described only a single embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an elevator having a fixed mounting and a vertically movable lifting element, a mechanism for ejecting articles sideways from said lifting ele- When the lifting element is lowment comprising a lever pivoted to said lifting element on the side toward which articles are ejected, said lever having a first arm which is bifurcated and extends on each side of said lifting element below the position normally occupied by articles thereon and a second arm extending away from said lifting element, counterweights on said first arm, and flexible means connecting said second arm to a point fixed with respect to said mounting, said flexible means turning said lever about its pivot when said lifting element is raised so that said first arm moves into the space normally occupied by articles on said lifting element, said counterweight returning said lever to its initial position when said lifting element is lowered. V

2. In an elevator having a fixed pedestal and a vertically movable lifting element mounted therein, a mechanism for ejecting articles sideways from said lifting element comprising a lever pivoted on a horizontal axis to said lifting ele- 20 ment on the side toward which articles are ejected, said lever having a first arm which is bifurcated and extends on each side of said lifting element below the'position normally occupied by articles thereon and a second arm extending away from said liftin element, counterweights on said first arm, flexible means connecting said second arm to a point fixed with respect to said pedestal, said flexible means turning said lever about its pivot when said lifting element is raised so that said first arm moves into the space normally occupied by articles on said lifting element, and a stop on said pedestal limiting such movement of said lever, said counterweight returning said lever to its initial position when said lifting element is lowered.

FRANK J. WITTE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,556,262 Streeter Oct. 6, 1925 1,843,852 Troy Feb. 2, 1932 1,964,621 Creasy et a1 June 26, 1934 2,194,125 Rinehart Mar. 19, 1940 

